1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a clamping assembly and kit for interconnecting two workpieces with abutting edges.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of assemblies and devices have been provided through the years attempting to answer the industry demands for devices which enable quick and secure connection between abutting workpieces.
Such an assembly is disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,638 to Cederquist. Commercially available as "Tite-Joint Fastener", a registered U.S. trademark, this device comes complete with a bolt, a tightening nut, a locking sleeve and a drill-guide. One vertical recess is drilled in each respective workpiece for receiving the nut and the sleeve, and one hole for the bolt is horizontally bored from the respective edge surfaces of each of the workpieces to the recesses. The individual parts of the assembly are then inserted in a certain sequence, namely the tightening nut is inserted first, then the bolt is threaded into the tightening nut, and then the locking sleeve is placed on top of the bolt.
One of the major disadvantages of this assembly is the fact that at least the horizontal holes can only be drilled when the two workpieces are spaced apart, and the bolt must be inserted prior to abutting the workpieces. Furthermore, this assembly is rather disadvantageous for use in hard-to-reach locations, and in particular with the work surface facing downward. This is because nothing prevents the tightening nut and the locking sleeve from slipping out of the holes before they are tightened.
Other devices are also known. All of them, however, are subject to these types of disadvantages. In particular, none of them appear to address the problem of severely restricted space in the field of cabinet installations and the like and working environments in hard-to-reach locations.
Particularly in the assembly and installation of counters and cabinets it is important to ensure quick, secure, easy-to-install and permanent connections at abutting seams between the workpieces. This is not provided in the prior art.